PISCATWAY — Steve Longa has yet to play a down for Rutgers, but that hasn’t stopped him from making a bold proclamation to the rest of the American Athletic Conference.

“I might not be the biggest middle linebacker in the conference or in the country,” Longa said Tuesday, “but I know I’m probably the fastest middle linebacker in our conference.”

Longa is poised to become Rutgers’ first redshirt freshman starter at Mike, the middle of Rutgers’ defense, in recent memory. He admits he’s still adjusting to gap responsibilities in run defense and reading formations.

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The Scarlet Knights hope speed can advance his learning curve.

“I know he’s got that kind of confidence, but it really might be true,” junior Kevin Snyder said Wednesday. “A lot of times you see Mike linebackers who are the bigger, bulkier type and can’t really make it sideline to sideline as well. There’s a really good possibility he might be (the fastest), but I really don’t know until I see him.”

Longa arrived in 2012 with a Group 1 education on defense. He’s since moved on to a defensive coordinator who’s tasked him with the responsibility of 10 other players.

Dave Cohen peers over Longa’s shoulder during individual drills with the team’s linebackers. He evaluates Longa’s positioning, ability to read a developing play and instincts.

Longa doesn’t mind the added attention.

“That’s an advantage for us. He knows what we have to do, where we have to be,” Longa said of Cohen. “All of the comments he makes during practice, it’s just to make us better. He’s a very high-motor type of person. That’s what this defense is about.”

Longa doesn’t have the luxury of individual instruction during 11-on-11s.

He must read personnel, relay defensive calls and react to offensive line keys within a 30-second window.

Few indications suggest Longa is going anywhere.

A true freshman waits behind him. A career special teamer follows suit.

Rutgers isn’t hedging its bets on Longa. He is the bet.

“I think he continues to flash — as you watch it live, it’s really tough with the naked eye to see everything that you want to see — but I think he continues to make progress at the middle linebacker spot,” head coach Kyle Flood said Tuesday, “and that’s critical for us.”

Longa’s pursuit could make up for any incorrect reads.

The 6-foot-1, 220-pounder looks suited as an edge rusher, but Rutgers could find itself with its quickest middle linebacker in a decade.

“I don’t think that’s missing. I think that’s a bonus,” Snyder said of speed from the mike. “Obviously with Steve Beauharnais, he had the size in there and the intelligence. With Steve Longa, we’re working on it. He’s working on his size, he’s eating right and he’s working on understanding the defense as well as he can. He’s a different type of monster out there, the way he can make it sideline to sideline.”

It could make Longa a three-down linebacker.

Rutgers’ nickel and dime packages often feature one linebacker and droves of defensive backs. Longa’s speed could suit the middle of Rutgers’ zone on passing downs.

“Speed is what makes me a good player,” Longa said. “My ability to get from Point A to Point B, that will make me just a better player. I’ll be able to make plays a lot quicker from one side of the field to the other side of the field. Speed is my main weapon.”

Rutgers began installing its dime defense Wednesday, and a nickel look could follow soon. It spent most of the first week of training camp in a base look.